Going for a Foreign Tour, missing Sunday Mass

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Athrunzala

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My parents and my siblings would go for a foreign tour of Japan, sadly going to the Sunday Mass is not in our tour itinerary, and it is hard to find a Catholic Church in Japan. Would I commit mortal sin if I would still go for this foreign tour knowing that I won’t be able to go to Mass if I should go?
 
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Pray and read the readings for the Sunday that you will not be going to Mass. I have hade to do that several times when I visited Granny in Finland. There was no public transportation that I could use to get me to several different towns before Mass had ended and my parents´ car was on other duties.

If you can’t find a Catholic Mass for either Saturday evening or Sunday, that is within reasonable distance to where you’ll be, then the Church doesn’t demand that you do the impossible.

Enjoy Japan. And it is good to have a longing to wanting to go to Mass even when unable. When you have the possibility to go when you are travelling, then go even if Mass is celebrated in a language that you don’t understand.
 
Athrunzala said:
Would I commit mortal sin if I would still go for this foreign tour knowing that I won’t be able to go to Mass if I should go?
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No.

If there is no mass available, or you are traveling and unable to go to mass, you do not have an obligation. If it would make you feel better, you can also ask your pastor for a dispensation although it isn’t really necessary.
 
If you are a minor, or in another way still under your parent’s authority, simply obey them.
 
If this is not a mortal sin, would then this still be a venial sin?
 
It’s not a sin at all. Catholics are allowed to travel in areas where attending Mass on Sunday may not be possible.
 
Athrunzala said:
Would I commit mortal sin if I would still go for this foreign tour knowing that I won’t be able to go to Mass if I should go?
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I won’t parrot the other posts because I agree with them; you’re good to go.

That said, are you going on a tour that keeps you on a tight leash? If so, couldn’t they make a religious accommodation for you? Again, I’m not worried about your state of grace . . . . just that you might miss the one-time opportunity to attend Mass in some intriguing looking Japanese Catholic Churches! 😇

https://www.japanvisitor.com/places-of-worship/kawaramachi

https://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-city-guides/places-of-worship/st-marys-cathedral
 
Athrunzala said:
My parents and my siblings would go for a foreign tour of Japan, sadly going to the Sunday Mass is not in our tour itinerary, and it is hard to find a Catholic Church in Japan. Would I commit mortal sin if I would still go for this foreign tour knowing that I won’t be able to go to Mass if I should go?
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Is it actually that hard to find a parish in Japan? Catholicism is a small part of Japan’s population, but Japan’s population is also much more “packed” than the US’s is, and as a result the number of parishes per square mile is actually about the same in both countries.
 
I imagine it would depend upon where you’re going. Metropolitan areas should not be a problem, or in much of Kyushu, but go into the countryside and Catholic churches are thin on the ground. If you’re in Wakkanai, Hokkaido (near Cape Soya), for example, the closest one appears to be four hours away by car or train, in Asahikawa.
 
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